Crop and forage implements have become an integral part of the agricultural industry and a variety of different types of crop implements such as crop harvesters (e.g., round balers, big or small square balers, peanut harvesters and pea harvesters) and windrow mergers are currently in use. Such crop implements may process any of the various agricultural crop products that have been cut and are to be retrieved from the ground, such as, but not limited to, hay, straw, and corn stover.
Such harvesting implements use a pick-up device to convey the crop material from the surface over which the implement travels and into the implement. The pick-up device typically includes a number of tines attached to a shaft or tine bar. The pick-up device rotates to allow the tines to grasp crop material and convey the material into the implement.
During use, the tines contact the ground and crop material causing a given tine to deflect from its resting position. The tine coil absorbs such forces and allows the tine arm to return to its resting position after deflection. Over time, the repeated stress may cause the tine to wear and even fail which results in less reliable crop pick-up and which may require the operator to stop operation of the implement for replacement of the tine.
A need exists for crop implement pick-up devices with improved durability and which are capable of absorbing large stresses caused by deflection over uneven terrain (e.g., uneven or rocky ground).
This section is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects of art that may be related to various aspects of the disclosure, which are described and/or claimed below. This discussion is believed to be helpful in providing the reader with background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the present disclosure. Accordingly, it should be understood that these statements are to be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art.